Don’t believe everything you read about coconut oil, the US Food and Drug Administration cautions. The agency issued a warning letter to Carrington Farms, a maker of coconut products, over claims that coconut oil and its chemical constituents treat diseases. Claims included treating gastroenteritis, ringworm, hemorrhoids, ear aches, joint and muscle inflammation, and heart disease. Such “disease claims” are limited to pharmaceutical products. Moreover, the FDA noted that coconut oil cannot be touted as “low in calories” or as “healthy” because that term can be used only for foods containing less than 15% of calories from fat.